The NannyMUD Times issue 2001 August.

[Polar]

---------------------- The NannyMUD Times --------------------- page 1    ---
The NannyMud Times, August 2001

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Finally, the Times is back! The new staff consists of Slakktor,
Lectral and Narya. We hope to continue to put out the Times
regularly, but we can't promise to have one each month. To achieve
this, we will need more people to help, and we will need plenty of
contributors.
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 1. Index
    What's in this issue?

 2. Announcements
    What has happened in Nanny lately?

 3. New areas
    Wizards with new areas answer to questions about their areas.

 4. Interview with the Quest Coordinator
    Banshee answers a few questions.

 
 5. Rumours
    Mortis spent a night at the local pub, what did he hear?

 6. The area that wasn't meant to be
    Lectral has a closer look on an old area that wasn't approved.

 7. Quest sheet
    Narya uncovers the secrets of the 'run a marathon' quest.

 8. Tales from the camp fire
    Bucky remembers his dangerous adventures in Lars Town.
 
 9. Dish of the month
    Dai tells the tale of his grandest dish.

10. Playerkilling
    Interviews with Malfeithor and Parity.

11. Grammar feast
    Narya continues to explain the mysteries of the english language.

12. Horoscopes
 
    Narya has seen the stars, see what will happen to you in September.

13. The quiz!
    Do you know Nanny better than anyone else? Also, a npc-hunt!

14. The playerquestion
    Find out what the players think!

15. That's it.
    Slakktor sums it up.


---------------------- The NannyMUD Times --------------------- page 2    ---
It's been a while since the last issue of Times. Here's a brief
list of events that has happened since then.

Boyd, Gabe, Hrodlauf, Raya & Whizz where promoted to admins.
Hrodlauf retired soon after.

Giltas, Blackfire, Wolfenhex, Firebird (reopened), Ormag,
Reptile, Syrinx & Elrohir opened new areas.

Dunstan & Kvarnen closed their areas.

There's a new pub in Mileo.
Teleport devices for faster travel have been constructed on Antharis.
Wolfenhex opened his new tag club.
A new indian camp has been discovered on Antharis.
Firebird opened two new quests.

There were a lot of banishments as usual. The major incident
was a 22 characters banishment which was the result of a wizard
cheating. Other than that, the usual share of client abuse,
bug abuse, harassment and multiplaying.

 
Stonehenge, Blackwidow, Aeris, Baz, Tasi, Dogface, Realitybyts,
Jaquelline, Joo, Rainman (and a lot of his seconds), Leperr, Novacell,
Jodan, Heydran, Eleni, Vip, Diavol, Kranium, Legal, Misuila & Tazmania
had to go.

Also, Reptile, Giltas & Danny were demoted for minor offenses.

As usual, a lot of people were married to each other. Some of them
even had mudsex.

[Polar]

---------------------- The NannyMUD Times --------------------- page 3    ---
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An overview of Wolfenhex's area, based on an interview with
himself.

Wolfenhex has two areas opened. His first (the poochie area) opened on
March 9th and the second (the ice cube) on May 10th.

The poochie area is a village with a castle, a graveyard, a park and
other village stuff. There's also a forest and a monastery to be
explored. The ice cube is a slippery area that contains a small village
as well.

None of the areas are based on any RL work and alltogether, Wolfenhex's
areas contain about 150 rooms. One of them is a pub!

The poochie area has a variety of things that can be killed. The ice

cube area is a bit more dangerous, perhaps not suitable for weak players.
It also contains a couple of puzzles.

Wolfenhex aimed to make an area for everyone, which he thinks he succeeded
in with the poochie area. He wanted to make a bit more challenging area as
 well, therefore the ice cube.

Wolfenhex thinks maybe Khornes and Vampires might be happy in the poochie
area, since there's a lot to kill there. He thinks alignment guild
will be happy too, as there are plenty of aligned monsters. He doesn't
think it's especially badly suited for any guild, though it might be
a pain to get into the poochie area as Vampire of Khorne.

Wolfenhex has a quest under developement as well, and he's hoping to
open it soon. He's also more or less constantly adding things to his

area. There's a fun club in his area as well.

Wolfenhex thinks you should visit his poochie area because it's fun
and great for everyone. He thinks you should visit the ice cube because
it's a challenge. He also has a hint for the visitors: Have a good
look in the shop if you can't find the poochies.

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An overview of Elrohir's area, based on an interview with himself.

Elrohir opened his area on July 8th.
 

Elrohir's area consists of a valley where there is a small village and
a forest.

The area is not based on anything from RL. It's alltogether about
20 rooms in the area.

Elrohir hasn't got any nasty dangerous monsters yet, but there is
a couple of puzzles to find for the clever adventurer.

Elrohir claims his area to be a little bit inspired by Andra's, so if
you like that one, you might feel comfortable in Elrohir's as well.

Elrohir has worked hard to put in something for everyone in his area,
both killers and explorers. He has also tried to balance the area so
it shouldn't be useless to any guild, but also not exceptionally great
for any guild.

Elrohir plans to code a quest or two, but not yet for a while.
Nevertheless, his area is constantly being worked on.

A little hint: Hold your purse tightly!
 

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An overview of Blackfire's area, based on an interview with herself.

Blackfire opened her area in mid-february.

Blackfire's area is a valley beyond the Dragonspine mountains. It's
covered with snow due to a wizards' dreadful doing. The valley
contains a forest and a plain, and there's also lots of interesting
things to find on the mountainsides.

The area might look familiar to some poeple, as it is based
on a part of 'Magic: The Gathering', the RL card game. More precisely,
the 'Invasion' trilogy.

Blackfire's area contains about 75 rooms at this time, there are
also several puzzles in the area, and also a couple of
surprising monsters. The mountains can be dangerous.

Blackfire has drawn inspiration from Andra's and Arbre's areas, and
has tried her best to include a bit for every player. She
 
has cozy neat places for explorers and causual wanderers, and also
monsters and equipment to satisfy the killing machines. She's working
hard to recreate the 'Invasion' atmosphere.

Blackfire claims that despite her intentions, there's a guild that is
more favoured than others in her area, but she intends to balance that
very soon.

Blackfire has no quests at this time, and doesn't expect to create
any soon. If the area turns out to support one, and people want one,
she has some longterm plans for quests, so it's not impossible that
there will be any in the future.

Blackfire's area is growing every now and then. She plans to open a
new part of his forest before the end of the summer.

Blackfire wants people to know that all puzzles can be solved without
leaving Caprathia, and there might be more puzzles in time.

You should visit Blackfire's area because it's a neat place to walk
through, it has a story of it's own, you can roleplay your character
there, find new items or just wander around for the fun of it. Also,
 
Blackfire will hug anyone who visits her area.

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An overview of Syrinx' area, based on an interview with herself.

Syrinx's area has been open for about six weeks. It is basically an
island, on which there is a forest, some plains and a beach.

Syrinx's area is loosely based on ancient greek mythology and it
consists of about 50 rooms.

Syrinx's has worked mostly to please explores, but she has also tried
to put in a few things for the occasional killer. There should be
something for every guild as well.

Syrinx has planned a quest, but it's still many months in the future.
There are several puzzles though, and more should appear within time.

Syrinx works on her area constantly, and we can expect small additions
every now and then.

 
Syrinx will personally reply to all ideas and suggestions, and she
also has a very cute rabbit! Oh, perhaps you'll want a dictionary
as well.

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An overview of Giltas' area, based on an interview with himself.

Giltas' area has been open since mid-february. It's basically
a village deep inside the jungle. There is also rumours of an
abandoned temple somewhere around.

Giltas has not based his area on any RL work, but he suspects
some of his monsters might resemble some movie monsters.

The area is about 30 rooms big, and at least one puzzle. There
is also a couple of dangerous tricky monsters to be fought in it.

Giltas thinks his area has had influences from other great
areas, among others Firelight/Readis', Dagoth's and Andra's.

Giltas thinks there is a bit for everyone in his area. It's not
 
the best place for collecting xp though, as the monsters can have
a few tricks up their sleeves.

Giltas thinks no guild is favoured more than any other in his area,
but knowing the sneaky monsters, it might be a little unwise
to do the first exploring with a high khorne.

Giltas has a few plans, but no quests are likely to appear soon.

Giltas' area grows a little now and then, it has doubled in size
since it opened, and it should hopefully be a few
new things there soon.

Gilats wants to reiterate that players should explore cautiously,
not bite off more than they can chew, and bear in mind that the
monsters are meant to be a little bit smarter than the average.

You should really visit Giltas' area, because it's different to the
run of the mill. (Or if you want to die in a new interesting way. )

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Reptile, Ormag & Firebird were not available to promote their areas.

[Polar]

---------------------- The NannyMUD Times --------------------- page 4    ---
Banshee is the quest coordinator on NannyMud. She handles all the
approvals when wizards want to create new quests, and she takes care of
all old quests where the creator has left Nanny. Here's a few words she
has to say about quests.

*** So, how long have you been the quest coordinator?
I was appointed Quest coordinator just after being elected highwizard back
in 1994.

*** Where you into quests before you became wizards and admin as well?
Yes, i enjoyed solving quests as a mortal and that was the main reason
I volounteered to take on the coordinator role when the admin group
reformed.

*** Really, why should people quest instead of killing?
I don't think questing should be seen as an alternative to killing,
it' s complementary gaming style! It's a chance to see another side
of the Mud for an hour or two. Often a quest will take you through
an area on which the wizard spent lots of time and effort, trying to
create the right atmosphere. Since you are looking for hints you will
get a deeper insight in how the area is designed and discover all the
details he has placed here and there for his and your amusement.
 
Also, you will often get hints on how to find your way around obstacles
that you can benefit from in other parts of the Mud, too.

*** How many new ideas for quests do you receive on an average month?
It differs from months to month, of course, but usually no less than 3 and
never more than 10.

*** How many quests are being created right now?
It's a bit hard to say, since there is no way for me to know how many of
the wizards I have given coding permission who are actually coding on their
quests. In my list I have very many quests in coding, but I doubt all of
them will be finished, ever.
Many new wizards have grand plans, but too few have the coding skill and
the stamina to hang in there. The enhanced coding framework we have now
lets the wizards build pretty much all they can think of so therefore we

see more intelligent npcs, more equipment with special properties and a more
diversified Mud today then we did a couple of years back. But, the wizards
still have to come up with the ideas for all those new things and as the
tools get better all flaws in the underlying theme become more obvious. This
is also valid for quests, of course. So the public demands on creating
wizards have increased, and all new wizards *knows* what they want to
create, and they start out with far too big and far too complex plans.
 

*** Do you think there is, will be, or could be enough quests in Nanny?
It's the same with quests as with areas: There can never be too many of them.
All ideas that are new and suitable for Nanny are welcome.

*** What's your view on the quality of today's quest. How many % would
    you consider really good quests? Are there more great quests now than
    it was a couple of years ago?
I think all quests we have today are good quests, in the way that they
all can teach the quester something about the Mud. Conceptwise some quests
are quite old and barely kept up-to-date with recent changes in the framework.
Those quests could be freshened up a bit, perhaps, regarding npc interaction,
and compatibility with surrounding areas and the newer guilds, for example.

*** What elements make a quest really good in your view? Likewise, what
    makes a quest really bad?
A 'good' quest should, in my opinion, be based on a 'story' that is suitable
to the environments in which the quest takes place. There should be hints
to find if you explore the area and interact with the npcs. The hints
should not be too obvious but not too hard to find either. But, the more
experienced the quester is, the more ways he knows to find hints. So, if
an experienced quester takes on a quest designed for beginners, he will
 
find it too easy and, thus, pointless and boring. And if an unexperienced
quester tries to solve a very demanding quest, he will find it impossible,
and, thus, pointless and boring.
Also, as I have said before, there should be something to learn from the
quest, that you can benefit from. And possibly, also a twist at the end,
that suprises the quester and makes him smile, or feel proud over
what he has achieved or something else that will stay with him as the
lasting feeling about the quest.
A 'bad' quest is the opposite, of course: a quest that has no meaning for
the quester and gives you no feeling of achievement afterwards. No hints
to be found, no atmosphere, no reward, nothing...
The difficulty for the creator of a quest is to balance the obvious
with the hidden, the straight-foward with the cryptical, the fun with the
deadly dangerous.

*** Are there any quests out there that you have considered closing due
    to lack of quality or maintenance? Is there any quests a player
    should rush an solve before it's too late?
Who knows what happens tomorrow?  Solve all quests tonight!

*** Can you suggest a couple of quests that you think are really well
    written?
 
It's a bit hard to say exactly what defines a 'well written' quest since
there are so many aspects of the quality of a quest. But, I can list a
few quests I think are worth checking out:
- Buy the Book of Quests: The key to all quests!
- Vamilio the merchant wants you: Originality!
- Find Padrone's walking castle: Classic!
- Pilgrimage to Canterbury: Story and area!
- Free Mthead: Crazyness!
- The Mystery of Caymar Island: Detective work!
- Find the Ring, and seek its destruction: Story!
- Mortis' help death: Hurry up!
- Raid a castle: Strategy!
- Make a collection of paintings: Exploring!
- Save the DemonKnight's Empire: Hack'n slash with a twist!

I also like Bixby's way of building quests around mathematical theorems.
And, really. who doesn't like hamburgers and who can refuse to help
saving Morc from the malaria, freeing the fabled beast or helping the
poor wolf cub? And in this heat who wouldn't need to take a bath?
And if I was a man I would surely want to win the heart of a lady.
But since I am female I will have to settle with Sacrificing a male
corpse to Bacchus. And if I could play the guitar I would rush off to build
 
myself a new instrument, but I can't so I think I go for a lesson in magic
or learn how to juggle instead. And, I think we all can agree that we all
need to visit the doctor in the Asylum at least once. And after slaying
all those dragons, breaking into treasuries and digging for gold and gems,
bringing armours and weapons to their truthful owners, hunting monsters all
over the place and saving princes and princesses from dangers, who wouldn't
want to relax with a cold beer and a smoke, before entering heaven?

*** What's the silliest serious quest idea you've ever received?
Serious ideas are never silly.

*** What's your general opinion about quests that are unsolvable
    for one or more guilds?
Guilds are supposed to be different. So, when you start a new character and
join another guild, you are not supposed to play the game in exactly the same
way as you did in your old guild. That of course means, that you can't go
everywhere you went with your old character, you can't kill the same monsters,
you can't use the same equipment and you can't solve the same quests.

*** Players have been complaining that it isn't rewarding to solve quests.
    Are there any changes in the system as such planned?
My view is that players who don't enjoy quests for the fun of exploring
 
the creation of a wizard's mind and the adventure hidden under what you
first see when entering an area, should perhaps stick to npc-bashing and
guild status enhancement, in whatever way that is best done. The quests
are not here for the players who need other rewards than the pure joy
and satisfaction of finishing a quest and the increased knowledge of the
possibilities and excitements of Nanny. So, I will not work for a changed
reward system for quests. Quests should be solved for fun not for gold or
NP or guild levels or super equipment!

*** Every now and then, there will be some modifications to older
    quests, to prevent quest sheets. About how often does this happen?
All quests are being reviewed constantly and if recode is called for,
recode there is. That's one of the heavier duties of mine; to keep an eye
on all quests and initiate (or perform if the creator is not active)
necessary modifications.
When older quests are modified they will become more compatible with the
newer parts of Nanny (areas, equipment, guilds, feelings etc). Of course, I
also try to improve the quests when I find original ideas that never were
implemented or where I see a possibility to add an extra twist.

*** Year of Banshee is a quest specially designed to teach new players to
    quest. What other quests would you recommend the newbie quester
 
    wannabe to try?
The first quest I would solve as a newbie is 'Buy the Book of Quests',
of course, since with that book in your hand you can read about
quests wherever you are in the Mud. The book also provides
additional information about what kind of reward a quest gives, and that
might help you plan your adventures a bit.

Then I would probably go for Year of Banshee, which will give me the
brief introduction to the way many quests work, as you said.
With that knowledge I should be ready to try some of the other
'explore and bring the right object to the right place' quests: Firebird's
quests perhaps, or Take a bath, Smoke a pipe, Bring back the colours, or,
if I have more time, patience and dedication, Vincent's quests.
When I know my way around the Mud a bit better I would try one of the quests
that force you to explore more widely in the Mud, like Message in a bottle,
Help Lorn... or Help the servant.

Many wizards have added information about what level of experience they
think you need to have before attempting to solve their quests, and
mostly they are right. They also have added information about what type
of quest you can expect, for example, a quest involving no killing,
or a party quest which requires many players to work together.
 

The amount of QP a certain quest is worth is usually related to the amount
of work estimated to solve the quest. But, quests worth few QP are not
necessarily suitable for newbies, since they might involve events that require
you to have powers that only more experienced players have. So, my
advice to all questers, is to read the hints in the Book of Quests before
starting on a quest. And, don't listen to what other players tell you about
how to solve it. Many quests are personal, i.e. behaves differently
to different players with different backgrounds.

*** Some quests are really difficult. Which one do you think is the
    most difficult one?
There are various reasons a quest is considered difficult, and some
quests are difficult to some players, while other players find them
quite easy. Since we are different people with different backgrounds
(age, language, education, hobbies, etc) this is not surprising at all.
Some quests are more easily solved with the help of some special guild
powers, while other require special knowledge that you only can bring
from RL experiences. There is also the matter of persoanl taste; some
like to think and try matching clues to an answer, while others are more
interested in quick-and-dirty solutions.

 
So, this is a non-comprehensive list of some quests that are more demanding
than most:
- Black Plague and Discover the Lost, Enchanted Realm have been said to
involve tricky mazes.
- In Save the Sprites from their plight you have to watch really carefully
where you are are going, or you might end up where you don't want to be.
- The ones attempting to solve Help the Great Pharaoh get eternal rest quest
might become affected by the ancient Pyramid Curse that causes strange things
to happen.
- Make a collection of paintings and Four in a row can really drive you mad,
I've heard.
- Save the DemonKnight's Empire requires a really good knowledge of where to
find equipment of various kinds.
- How hard The quest for supreme good and evil is depends on which players
are logged on, but if your timing is bad, it's almost impossible.
- Improve the weather and Hunt and slay a monster can be very hard if you
are (un)lucky, and so can relatively simple quests as Find a rare object for
the recycler of things and Keep the MUD tidy!
- A tree has fallen across a path and Catch the horse are impossible to solve
if you are alone.
- To solve Praise the Lord and Mortis' help death you have to work fast.
- Some quests, like Free Raque Island from Pengo, The new quest for evil
 
wannabies and Inspire Zeus and discover revenge require you to fight really
nasty creatures that have caused many adventurers' death.
- Some quests are really long and require that you stay focused and alert all
the way to the finish:  Revive and ancient lifeform, Join the Carpet
Rider's Society, Steal the Golden Dragon Egg and Restore the parchment.

[Polar]

---------------------- The NannyMUD Times --------------------- page 5    ---
Mortis sat a whole night at the Rose and Dragon, drinking
luke warm beer. Here's a few things he overheard.

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Some old fart of a wizard is working on a new area based on the
ancient chinese story "The Water Margin".

Harry was seen buying flowers for Jennifer, hot date to follow?

Lara Croft will be signing autographs in the Chapel within the
next month.

Spammers are flappier than Knights and Sims combined!

Pet has found a soft side and is using his treasures to start a
Widows and Orphans of Nanny Monsters fund.

The Druids guild is to be relocated to a forest area where they belong
rather than the middle of town.


Camelot is to be sold off and demolished, allowing for more player
 houses to be built. Raya has commented... "Umm.. heh.. *giggle*..
well I need to money to buy additional cookie baking ingredients...
heh *giggle*.. We'll keep the chapter house on Antaris for now
though.. *giggle*"

Following the sudden reappearance of Fuzzie, boards are now to
be changed to include a spam filter.

Taren and Brom was spotted multiplaying and are both soon to be demoted!

After a series of psychological treatments and some experimental
drugs, the Bailiff has been seen wandering around the village
handing out money.

Mortis _is_ the cutest on Nannymud!

After much abuse and persecution, the Elves of Middle Earth have
started training in guerilla tactics for shock attacks on the Druid

and Khorne guilds.

Following a series of nasty defeats, the people of Basalt Keep are
expected to be installing a new sprinkler system soon.
 

The Beast of Nurgle was seen dating the Champion of Slaanesh. Brom
is looking at instigation anti-propogation laws for monsters.

After the reappearance of the Garden Gnome Liberation Front,
Hrodlauf has gone into hiding.

Gurk has started up a "Save our Steeple" fund to help rebuild the
aging steeple on the church. However, the Secret Police believe that
the fund is a front set up to fund Gurks nefarious habits.

Following pay disputes, a number of one day strikes from ship
captains is expected over the following weeks.



---------------------- The NannyMUD Times --------------------- page 6    ---
Lectral reveals the results from when he testplayed an area that
never opened.

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You're in New York City, more specifically on 3rd and Main.
To the south, you can enter a candy store. To the west and
east, you can continue along the pavement.
  There are four obvious exits: east, west, south and road.
A small and sneaky-looking man.
A large woman with a baby carriage.

> east
As you attempt to go east, the small man jumps in front of
you and stabs you in the leg!
** HP: 182/202   SP: 50/50

> west
Moving west, you mindlessly stumble into the baby carriage
and the little bundle of joy goes flying into the road!
The woman screams.
The woman screams.
 
The woman screams.
Your leg is bleeding badly!
** HP: 172/202   SP: 50/50
The woman screams.

> exa road
There are cars zooming back and forth on the road. Oh my
God, there's a small baby lying in the middle of the road!
The woman screams.

> get baby
The baby is too far away, you have to go into the road to
get it. Be careful looking both ways before you move into
the traffic!
The woman screams.
Your leg is bleeding badly!
** HP: 162/202   SP: 50/50
The woman cries and screams.

> look both ways
Which way do you wanna look?

 
> look right
You look to the right. No cars, all safe.

> road
You didn't look to the left and you're hit by a truck!
** HP: 102/202   SP: 50/50
** HP: 106/202   SP: 50/50
You're in the middle of the road. Cars are racing by on all
sides of you, barely (and not intentionally) avoiding you.
  There are no obvious exits.
A baby.
Your leg is bleeding badly!
** HP: 96/202   SP: 50/50
From the pavement a woman screams.

> get baby
As you pick up the baby, it falls apart and clatters to the
road. Looking closer, you realize that it was only a doll.

> curse
You curse.
Suddenly, you're hit by a car! It hurts!
 
** HP: 66/202   SP: 50/50
Your leg is bleeding badly!
** HP: 56/202   SP: 50/50
From the pavement a woman screams.

> look
You're in the middle of the road. Cars are racing by on all
sides of you, barely (and not intentionally) avoiding you.
  There are no obvious exits.
Pieces of a small doll.
From the pavement a woman screams.

> quti
What?
From the pavement a woman screams.

> quitt
What?
There's a big truck coming down the road and it's coming
straight for you. It doesn't look like it's gonna stop.
Your leg is bleeding badly!
** HP: 46/202   SP: 50/50
 

> exa truck
This is one big truck. It's coming straight at you and you
don't think it's gonna stop.

> quit
Quit New York? You gotta be kidding.
From the pavement a woman screams.
The truck is coming closer and closer.
From the pavement a woman screams.
The truck is coming closer and closer.

> leave
Leave what?

> leave road
You're in New York City, more specifically on 3rd and Main.
To the north, there is a suspicious looking alley. To the
west and east, you can continue along the pavement.
  There are four obvious exits: east, west, north and road.
From the other side of the road a woman screams.
Your leg is bleeding badly!
 
** HP: 36/202   SP: 50/50
BANG!
You die.
You have a strange feeling.
You can see your own dead body from above.
Johnny sneaks out from the alley.
Johnny grabs your corpse and hauls it into the alley.
From the other side of the road a woman screams.
From the other side of the road a woman screams.
From the other side of the road a woman screams.

[Polar]

---------------------- The NannyMUD Times --------------------- page 7    ---
RUN A MARATHON by Narya

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OK this one is stupid but i guyess they all are. the main thing here
to do is to tie your shoes, no really, thats it. go to naryas area
and go 34e (bunch o plains and stuff) and youll be on some battlefield.
Wander around until you see some wounded general and he'll start narking
at you to run to Marathon and warn someone about the persians. go 33w
and 1s, you'll be at some shoe shop, enter shop, buy shoes, when they ask
what kind say running. exa shoes, exa racks, exa laces, buy laces 5. OK
now you need to tie the shoes.

the only tricky thing here is that you must do everything exactly right
- everything must be spelled right and you have to use the right words or
it wont work at all. if you screw it up too many times in fact the laces
get tangled and then you have to start over, and anyway if you do it
wrong it takes twice as long as it has to and then the battle is over and
its too late, you have to do the quest over. so do it right the 1st time.

OK. exa laces, remove wrapper from package, crumple wrapper, throw
wrapper in bin. put left foot in left shoe, stand up, hop, sit down,
 
pull tongue of left shoe into place, stand up, hop, sit down, wiggle
left foot. get left lace from package, unwind left lace, flatten
left lace, hold middle of left lace in right hand, hold both tips of
left lace in left hand, even out tips of left lace, stretch left
lace between hands. insert end 1 of left lace into left grommet 1 of
left shoe, insert end 2 of left lace into right grommet 1 of left shoe,
pull left lace taut. insert end 1 of left lace into right grommet 2 of
left shoe, insert end 2 of left lace into left grommet 2 of left shoe,
pull left lace taut. insert end 2 of left lace into right grommet 3 of
left shoe, insert end 1 of left lace into left grommet 3 of left shoe,
pull left lace taut. insert end 1 of left lace into right grommet 4 of
left shoe, insert end 2 of left lace into left grommet 4, pull

left lace taut. insert end 2 of left lace into right grommet 5 of
left shoe, insert end 1 of left lace into left grommet 5 of left shoe,
pull left lace taut. fold end 2 of left lace over left side of left
shoe, fold end 1 of left lace over end 2 of left lace, tuck end 1 of
left lace under end 2 of left lace, pull both ends of left lace taut.
grasp end 2 of left lace in left hand, form loop with end 2 of left
lace, fold loop formed with end 2 of left lace over right side of left
shoe. grasp end 1 of left lace in right hand, pull end 1 of left lace
toward body, fold end 1 of left lace away from body over loop formed
with end 2 of left lace, form loop in end 1 of left lace, push loop 2
 
formed with end 1 of left lace though loop 1 formed with end 2 of left
lace using left forefinger, pull loop 2 formed with end 1 of left lace
through loop 1 formed with end 2 of left lace using right forefinger,
pull left lace taut.

once you get both shoes tied, 'run in place' until it says you feel ready
to run a marathon. go n and 3 w. you will see open plains and the 'glitter
of a great city in the distance'. now: run toward city. now you dont have
to do anything except wait for it to say 'You run toward the great city
in the distance!' and 'You run and run and run!' and other crap like that
about 40000000000000000 times and then it says you have given the news
to the general and he is sending reinforcements and then you are done. oh,
you get to keep the shoes. they suck.







---------------------- The NannyMUD Times --------------------- page 8    ---
  "Thou shalt not play NannyMUD after taking a long break"  by Bucky
--==@@==----==@@==----==@@==----==@@==----==@@==----==@@==----==@@==--

After a long time off Nanny, I decided that I wanted to start playing
again so that I could become a wizard and create an area and all that
fun groovy stuff. I'd laid off playing my primary character while
I pursued becoming a wizard. While I was in the middle of coding, I got
the great idea that I would log in my level 19 playerkilling adventurer
and mess around with him for a while. I'm not proud that this all
happened, but needless to say, it's a  good story and should be told to
the masses. As this incident took place more than four years ago, I might
be a little foggy as to what took place. This is what I remember, all
shame put aside.

I logged in. It was a little different than I remembered it. This
character was a little different than my others. There were things
that needed  to be remembered, a style long-forgotten that needed to be
revamped. This character was PK, the others were not; this character
didn't have a guild, the others did. A feeling of paranoia arose once
I logged in. Keeping my hit points high was a definte priority since
no tab had been kept on who was PK.  Not knowing whom to expect would
certainly raise the stakes slightly.
 


After doing a personal inventory of sorts, Bucky was contacted by
Gilthoniel. Up to his usual no good, Gil wanted to do something that
would require me paying him. "Need to get from there to here? I'll do
it. Need to get some equipment? I'll do it." was what he suggested.
Since I knew that the surcharge would be a little extreme, I declined
both of these offers and told him that I would be fine on my own.

Without a guild and lacking any type of equipment, Bucky strolled
over to the shop to find out what was for sale. Basic equipment
was a must. A sword, chainmail, and a shield were all bought and equipped.
Ready to fear nothing, Bucky strolled out into the village, when who should
appear but Mister Harry himself. Certainly there was no better way to get
started than to kick Harry around the block a few times.

Easy enough to kill without fear of retaliation, he went to work. With his
hit points already low since he'd forgotten to heal, Bucky's hit points
dropped a bit more. Suddenly, a wonderful idea came to him and he decided
that he should heal up before taking on such challenges. A trip to the
sold-out milkbar did nothing for him, so a trip to the Sunshine Inn ensued.

After arriving, Bucky told Gilthoniel about his little bout with Harry.
 
"No, Bucky!!! I will not let you leave!!" was his reply. Typical smart-ass.
Fully healed and ready to rock, Bucky decided that Harry didn't merit time
and effort. "Surely there are better monsters to slay than Harry!" he
thought. One of his favorite stomping grounds of yore had been the Mad
Wizard's mirror tower.

He loved the tower mainly since the two skeletons that resided there were
quite easy to kill and yielded a decent amount of cash for their goods.
Knowing that the skeletons were aggressive, he prepared in the room below.
"Aha! This character has conflagration! This should be fun," was his
thought. As soon as conflagration was fired up and ready to go, he charged
above and started hacking away. Having forgotten to check his wimpy before
venturing out, he didn't realize that it was only set at 30. His eyes
blinked hugely as he realized that he was down to just 15 hit points.

This would require a little skill. After sending Gilthoniel a message that
read, "Shit, I'm down to 15 hit points," he decided to make a dash for
healing. Crossing into main part of the village, and who could possibly bet
sitting there? None other than Harry himself. Harry, being a little pissed off
that he had been originally picked on by Bucky, started to attack.
(Note, this would be a really bad time for lag to take over.) Lag took over.
Between the attacks, the conflagration, and the lag, there wasn't a whole
 
lot that could've been done. There was only two things that were for certain
after all the dust had settled, Bucky was dead but Harry was alive.
 
Harry finally had had the guts to stand up for himself. Completely
dejected, Bucky decided that this story was at least worth telling and
told Gil that he had died. The reply was, "Who killed you?" Taking a
deep breath, Bucky gingerly told him, "Harry ... " To add injury to insult,
Gilthoniel just had to tell him once more so that he wouldn't forget,
"No Bucky!!! I will not let you leave me!!!" Completely dejected,
Bucky decided that this had been enough action for one day and decided to
call it quits. It would be a cold day in hell before these waters were to
be tested again.
>

[Polar]

---------------------- The NannyMUD Times --------------------- page 9    ---
Delicious Dragon Heart Steak - By Dai

--==++@@++==----==++@@++==----==++@@++==----==++@@++==----==++@@++==--

There was once a young man, He desired to cook. He loved
the smell of food in the oven and on the grill. He ran away from his home
for his parent's wished him not to waste his life slaving over
a hot stove for the benefit of others' desires to eat. All he had with
him was the sword he received at his most recent birthday.

To cook he would require of course the essential ingredients and also
a slab of meat which may be cooked. The man also had another
desire; danger. He wished as a boy to slay dragons and beasts
beyond human imagination. His goal was now to slay the mighty
Merlin's Dragon, beheart him and roast his heart in a sweet, spicy
and salty marinade and feed all that wish to eat of his food.

The young man was empty, he had nothing that he could use to
complete such a task. He set out for a dark forest where there lived
an elven chef that owned a small hut where he sold his food. The man
entered the hut to a strong scent of curry. Behind an oaken
counter sat the elf.
 

The young man asked the elf if he could purchase one of the spits that
he used for creating great roasts. The elf looked at the man and
uttered under his breath "Foul human, how dare you ask me for aid?"

The elf drew a sharp sword and swung at the man, nearly severing his
arm. The young man drew the sword he received and was lucky enough to
block the following blow from the elf. The elf started to go mad, taking
swings from left and right, but the man was able to fend off each
one. The man used all the force he could and stuck directly
through the elf's throat. The elf fell to the ground.

I guess by now I should say that the young man was named Dai, The reason
for that  he knew great fighting techniques was that he once followed
Khorne. The reason his father didn't want him to waste time

cooking was because he wished that Dai stayed and killed. Dai
slipped through and met a fate that he was actually happy to have
obtained. He died and rose once more to become a Chef.

Dai searched the back of the hut and found a spit-grill, some olive oil
and also a large kit that was empty except for an empty bottle of
wine. Dai had studied some on cooking and knew that he needed
 
for the marinade some juice, some wine and also some olive oil
and of course the necessary spices!

He went into a restaurant owned by real Chefs! He tried some of
the food and was astonished at their abilities and dreamt that he could
one day cook as good as that! He purchased a glass of red wine but did
not drink it with the meal, he poured it into the bottle and placed
it in the kit, which at the moment also contained the spit and the
olive oil. He also asked the waitress for some orange juice, but was
told that  they were unfortunately sold out for the moment and he would not
be able to purchase any.

Walking back to the church after the meal, Dai spotted a guard standing
defending a castle and on a small table next to him was a glass full of
orange juice! Dai sneaked up and struck from behind the man, catching
him off guard and harming him with a long slit across his back. The guard,
who was quite weak, fell dead to the ground.

Dai grabbed the glass of orange juice which stood on the table. He
slashed the table in two with an excellent blow. He cut out a slab that
made a good lid to the glass. He put it in the kit, now all that remained
to collect were the spices and the meat.
 

Dai flew the next day to Telgar on a dragon's back. Dai couldn't kill
this dragon for he would be slain by its master for sure, a powerful
one he was.

Arriving at Telgar, Dai entered the hold and then went directly to the
Telgar kitchens where many sous-chefs were working. He was able to sneak
behind them and steal from the cupboard some salt and black pepper
that would work fine in the marinade.

Dai made his way to the head chef. Dai knew he  remembered him from
before... it was yes it was... the chef who had once slain him! Filled
with rage Dai burst the doors to the room open sword in hand and diced
fiercely at the chef. The chef quickly wielded the butcher knife that
he was using and started chopping at Dai fiercely. Dai swung the blade,
and the chefs head bounced to the ground. Dai picked up the chef's meat
cleaver and noticed that he would be able to cut the piece of dragon meat
from a corpse with this, once he had slain a dragon of course.

Dai packed the cleaver in the kit and headed for the pantry behind
the corpse of the evil chef. Inside the pantry he searched through
everything and found a package of ginger, and a jar filled to the
 
top with spicy red chili peppers. Dai still required the meat and
the wood to create a great inferno upon whuch he could cook the meat.

With the funds Dai has accumulated he purchased a suit of armour,
a helmet and a shield at the local blacksmith. Dai traveled all day
long until he finally reached the mountain where the dragon itself
resided. Dai boldly climbed the high mountain right to the top were a
mounstrous sight awaited him. The dragon itself stood tall 50 feet
before him!

Dai ran around the dragon, dodging the raging flames that
shot from the mouth of the beast and then lodged his sword
through the dragons tail severing it off to the ground. The dragon
attempted to lash at Dai with but the stub that remained. Dai lept
through the air as high as he possibly could and guillotined one of
the dragon's wings. The dragon was in pain and fell to the ground, still
alive. Dai lifted the sword high in the air, and it fell through the
chest of the beast and what came out was a mass red bloody heart.

Dai packed the heart in his kit to preserve it. At the shop he sold the
useless butcher knife now and bought a small axe to cut down a tree.
Dai headed for the Greenwood forest and fell a mighty tree to the ground,
 
and chopped it into various logs. He than took the juice, wine and olive
oil and soaked the large heart in it while adding the salt, black pepper,
ginger and red chili peppers. Considering the piece of meat was so
large, It took around 2 hours for the entire slab to be marinated.

After that Dai grabbed two stones from the path and then banged
them over the logs and created a blazing fire over which he hung
the spit-grill and then applied the heart to it. After the enitre heat
was roasted nicely he took the remaining wood and cut it to a
small table and placed it on the village green. There each player
was able to taste the grand dish. After this Dai continued to cook
forever.

[Polar]

---------------------- The NannyMUD Times --------------------- page 10   --
Playerkilling.

Start off by trying 'help playerkilling' if you have no knowledge of
playerkilling.

Playerkilling, usually simply referred to as 'pk' is what it says it is.
You can kill other players. It sounds like fun, right? However, there is
this slight disadvantage that other players can kill you as well. And
remember, it's a death for real even if you're killed by another player!

Playerkilling has gone through a few changes lately. The main change
is that it's now possible to abolish you angel for a set time. If you
want to try it out, you can become pk for just two weeks.

There is a club in Dannoc's area for playerkillers which could be useful
and fun to join if you're pk yourself.



--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--

A Times reporter caught Malfeithor, the vampire lord, and he was kind
enough to answer a few questions about playerkilling.

 
*** How long have you been pk?

About two years.

*** Would you call yourself one of the best/most experienced pk'ers
    active today?

Nah, just a decent one.

*** Which guilds have you seriously attempted to pk in?

Vampires, Lepers, Cthulhu and some Darks.

*** Which one is best and which one is worst, in your opinion?
    Can you motivate a little?

Overall, I think darks is the best, since they do the more damage in
less time. Lepers on the other hand is a more "safe" way of pking since
they can take more damage, but if you are maxed as a vampire i prefere them.

*** There are some guilds that are very rare as pk'ers. Are they really
    meaningless as pk'ers, or can there be secrets that can make them good,
     what do you think?

Druid used to rock in pk, now they really suck, but I guess with the right
equipment they could do some damage. Monks ain't even allowed to pk, and
Chef's I do not have any experience from.

*** How many people have you killed totally, and how many times have
    you died to other players?

In total (with all my pk characters) I have killed 38 players, and I
have died 6 times.

*** In which guild do you have the best and worst records?
Best: Vampires. Worst: Cthulhu.

*** Is there a player you particularly enjoy to kill?

The one I would like to kill the most I haven't killed yet. I'll save
that name

*** Is that the same player you'd hate to die to the most, or who is that?
I dont really hate anyone.
 [Adv] The guide says: Auric enters the game.


*** Is there a player that you actually fear when pk'ing?

Michel was nasty when he was active, luckily I didn't fight him much with
any of my pkers.

*** Now that the new pk system has been stabilized, what do you think
    of it? Any big flaws or advantages you want to point out?

I think it sucks bigtime when you have a choice to pk for a very
short time period. The advantage is of course that you have time to
rebuild a character that has died, but in my eyes, going pk should
be for life.

*** How many active pk'ers are there nowadays compared to a couple
    of years ago? Is pk funnier now than a couple of years ago or
    the other way around? Why?

The sad thing is that the number of active pkers are about zero, I don't
even pk actively anymore. When I first started there was always fights
going on, now I'm almost astonished when I see people fight.

 
*** Do you have some good ideas on how to improve pk in NannyMud?

Yes, open the pk clans. Then we would have small wars between
groups of people, that would be fun. And the wizards in charge here
should encourage pking more, not look down in contempt on those who
want to kill each other. Well that is only a feeling i have.

*** Please describe your best/funniest kill.

Maskim dying from Pet's wand when hiding in Sadyc's bar. Nice one, Slem!

*** Describe your worst death.

Going ld at Merlin when I was trying to heal, a vampire called Meanie
killed my Cthulhu there.

*** In today's pk, how many of the kills do you estimate are due to
    skill rather than linkdeath/lag on the victim?

Hmm, hard one. Not that many I think, maybe 15-20%, but I'm not sure.

*** Which is the best guild to learn how to pk? Does it have to be the
 
    same as the best one overall?

Well, that would be a guild with helpful members, Knights I assume, but
I dont think Knights is the best overall pk guild.

*** Apart from being easy kills for you, why should new players try
    out pk'ing?

It's always exciting and the feeling of beating another player is
outstanding

--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--

Furthermore, the Times managed to get a hold of Parity, and he was
also kind enough to contribute with a few words.

*** How long have you been pk?

I have been pk for 4 years, with large portions of inactivity in
    between, but when I was active, I was _really_ active.

*** Would you call yourself one of the best/most experienced
 
    pk'ers of today?

Yes.

*** Which guilds have you seriously attempted to pk in?

I have pk in: vamps (Michel), darks (Kalin), sims (Toda&Kidd),
    lepers (Jarek), khornes (Tod) and knights (Galliard).

*** Which one is best and which one is worst, in your opinion?
    Can you motivate a little?

I'd say vampires are the best since they can be very...let's say
    "slippery". As for the worst, definitely knights because you have
    to deal with the RT's, fight only kenemies, attend attacks (which
    will always kill your alignment) and their main attack power
    (weapon skill) isn't very useful in PK. On top of that you cannot
    help kenemies and you cannot join the pkclub as a defender. (this
    is a little inheritance from ex-GH Silencer, who decided he
    doesn't want knights to join the pkclub just because he hated the
    club master Dannoc)

 
*** There are some guilds that are very rare as pk'ers. Are they really
    meaningless as pk'ers, or can there be secrets that can make them good,
    what do you think?

I'd always vote for the latter. Let me tell you a little story. When
    the darks opened, a few pkers, some quite experienced, joined the
    guild. They weren't very successful, so they quit within 1-2
    months. The reason for their failure was quite simple: it is hard
    to reach a certain level where a certain power, without which pk is
    impossible, is offered. To advance to that level was hard, because
    the player has to make large amounts of XP keeping an eye on the
    "hunters." While making XP they were vulnerable and some of them
    died several times before giving up. Because of this general
    failure, it was commonly believed even by the experienced players
    that darks are useless in pk. I remember briefly chatting with
    Feanor, one of the best players this mud has ever had I might add,
    and she was also convinced darks don't make good pkers because
    their attack power is not instant. Who was I to contest a player
    who knew every corner of the game? Well, I did and Kalin was
    born. (besides I needed a char to hunt all the vamp pkers I
    couldn't reach with Michel ) At that time I was already known as
    a successful player killer, and I was getting tells such as "Why
 
    darks? They are useless in PK" or "You're wasting your time, many
    have tried and failed." After I got maxed I switched to PK and I
    instantly started killing other players successfully. Seeing this,
    lots of other players have done the same since then. For almost a
    year, the darks guild was considered a guild impossible to PK
    in. It was quite the opposite, darks make great pkers. Now, you
    might think I have cheated a bit since I switched to pk only after
    I maxed-out, but hey, the rules are rules and anything within their
    boundaries is legal.

    There's another reason why you should consider trying to pk in
    other guilds. Being the only PK from one guild is like holding an
    extra trump in your hand. It might easily be the case that the
    other pkers don't know what to expect from you (ie, they have
    never met a pker from your guild) so you can easily surprise them
    with your special power or your tactic. Not only that, but if they
    don't know the guild, they don't know how to best defend against
    your stuff and they don't know your weakness (all guilds have such
    a thing). With Toda I've got 20 kills by the time the active pkers
    got used to my powers.

*** How many people have you killed totally, and how many times have
 
    you died to other players?

I have killed about 180 worthy kills, about 60% of them with my main
    char, Michel. Michel was killed twice by player killers, once in a
    vampire duel and once in elerion. (Yes, I have tried to avoid
    duels with other pk vampires, but obviously I haven't tried
    enough) Jarek also died once, in his first hour of PK. Other than
    this in 4 years of play, I have been closed but never died. My
    success in PK is mainly due to my fast link. (110ms, no packet
    loss)

*** In which guild do you have the best and worst records?

I have more than 100 kills with Michel, 20 kills with Kalin, 20 with
    Toda, 10 with Jarek, 5 with Tod and a couple with Galliard and
    Kidd. I have performed worst with my knigget because a big nasty RT
    banished him early in his life.

*** Is there a player you particularly enjoy to kill?

Any defender, because they look big and sure of themselves.

 
*** Is that the same player you'd hate to die to the most, or who is that?

Ah yeah, no glory to the knights in PK. "That's the order of things."

*** Now that the new pk system has been stabilized, what do you think
    of it? Any big flaws or advantages you want to point out?

Suppose you're in the mood to PK, so you hunt some good eq and log on
    your PK. If you stay logged on an entire day, your chances of
    meeting another pker (who wants to fight or has to kill) are slim
    at best. Somewhere, somehow a mistake has been made and the entire
    PK has been ruined. Well, I don't have time to wait weeks to find
    a single kill, so why bother? - this is the attitude for many of
    the old pkers.

*** How many active pk'ers are there nowadays compared to a couple
    of years ago? Is pk funnier now than a couple of years ago or
    the other way around? Why?

During the night in Sweden I was the only pker on (usually), but
    during the day 5+ pkers logged on in the same time was
    normal. Now, well... 0 pkers day or night.
 

*** Do you have some good ideas on how to improve pk in NannyMud?

Yes, revert it the way it was before.

*** Please describe your best/funniest kill.

There are so many of them, I don't know which one is the best nor the
    funniest... I certainly remember when Kalin killed 3 knights
    (Blackone twice and Dreamon) within 10 seconds. Blackone jumps on
    me, but he dies. Dreamon (same party) comes in his help (I think
    he was also in somewhat damaged shape) but he dies at the second hit.
    Blackone, quickly goes to church and returns to loot his own
    corpse, but of course he forgot to heal and he dies again
    Another nice kill was against Fortune, I rot with Jarek, Fortune
    dies, he quickly goes to pray in church and then another rot
    kicks in and he dies again, this time in church.

*** Describe your worst death.

Nothing to write here, sorry.

 
*** In today's pk, how many of the kills do you estimate are due to
    skill rather than linkdeath/lag on the victim?

There are no pkers nowadays, so I'd say "Division by 0." In the old
    days, some of the deaths were due to lag, I'd say about 5% for the
    unexperienced players up to 50-100% for the experienced
    players. As a total, I'd say less than 10% of the kills were due
    to lag. Lag influences your performance, but usually is not the
    determinant factor.

*** Which is the best guild to learn how to pk? Does it have to be the
    same as the best one overall?

Vampires, definitely. Vampires are PK-oriented and you don't
    necessarily have to know special items/weapons/armours which
    improve your pk, since they are great without any. Hell, you don't
    need armours and weapons at all. (it's a real pity to waste an
    hour to get eq, and then not to be able to use it just because
    there aren't pkers on-don't forget, good eq cannot be stored nor
    stashed away) Not to mention, that vampires offer a great style of
    play (advancement system) which the player will probably enjoy if
    he likes to pk. Vampires are also great if you like to
 
    role-play. (my favourites) The drawback to vampires is that if you
    want to be successful, you'll need to play _actively_. Well, not
    too actively, you might end up downcoded by the guild head, just
    because he might want to "balance" the guild.

*** Apart from being easy kills for you, why should new players try
    out pk'ing?

Try out pk'ing? These days? You're funny. If you want to pk, I suggest
    you find another mud, in this one PK'ing is allowed but inexistent.

[Polar]

---------------------- The NannyMUD Times --------------------- page 11   --
This month's grammar column topic is apostrophes.

Apostrophes are one of the simplest things to learn how to use correctly in
English, but a great number of people screw them up. This is partially
because there are a few common homophones (words that sound alike but
which are spelled differently and which mean different things) where the
confusing factor is the apostrophe.

So, when do you use them, you ask? In possessives formed from a noun and
in contractions. Apostrophes are NEVER used to form plurals. They just
aren't.

I) POSSESSIVES

So, possessives formed from a noun: there are two cases.

The first case

This occurs when you have a singular noun: just add an apostrophe and
an "s." So, the suitcase belonging to the boy is the boy's suitcase;
the broadsword belonging to the woman is the woman's broadsword. Simple,
easy, invariant.
 

The second case

The other case is when you have a plural ending in "s": You have two
options, the first being to add "'s" like in the basic case, and the
second to just add the apostrophe with no extra "s." This is a little
harder, because you have to decide if the word sounds stupid with the
extra syllable the "'s" adds to a word that already ends in "s." For
instance, take the name "James": would you say

    1) James' wife Julia is a good friend of mine.
   
or

    1') James's wife Julia is a good friend of mine.
   
In 1), the name would be pronounced just like "James," and in the second,
because the "'s" is seen as an extra syllable when it follows an "s," it
would be pronounced "Jameses." In this particular case, I would choose 1'),
"James's," since that simply sounds better to me.


However, take the name "Moses." Which is better, 2) or 2')?
 

    2) Moses' people followed him through the desert.
    2') Moses's people followed him through the desert.
   
Just as above, in 2) "Moses'" would be pronounced "Moses" and in 2')
you'd say "Moses's" as "Moseses." Since 2') sounds stupid to me, I'd go
with 2)--"Moses'."

No, this second case isn't an exact science. If you don't trust your ear,
frankly, I'd stick with just sticking an apostrophe and no extra "s" on
the ends of words that already end in "s"--it's usually safe, if not
always what a native speaker would do.

II) CONTRACTIONS

The other situation in which you use apostrophes is to form contractions:
"you are" becomes "you're," "I have" becomes "I've," and so on. Most
people get the majority of these right, though sometimes you run into
people who write "Ive" and "youre." Leaving the apostrophe out of a
contraction looks really lazy, or else actively stupid.

One other form of contraction is to use an apostrophe when you're
 
truncating a date--i.e., when you say "the '70s" instead of "the 1970s."
That's another kind of contraction, but note (as I'll note again below)
that the apostrophe's _only_ used for the contraction part (removing the
"19" from "1970s") and not for the plural part.

III) COMMON ERRORS

So much for the rules. Why do people screw it up?

The first reason is that people sometimes use apostrophes to end plurals
that look wrong to them, or as a lazy way of forming plurals of words
ending in vowels. You therefore see things like "echo's" instead of
"echoes," "ferry's" instead of "ferries," "the 1970's" instead of
"the 1970s." It's still incorrect to do this. Apostrophes are never,
ever used to form plurals. Ever. Not even in the case of decades, like
the '50s or 1960s or whatever. English spelling rules are complicated,
yes, but you can't weasel your way out of your problems that easily--sorry.

The other reason is that a few common pairs of words in English sound
alike, even though one of the pair contains an apostrophe and the other
doesn't. The classic example is "you're" and "your," where "you're" means
"you are" (and only "you are") and "your" is the possessive of "you."
 

If you're not sure which of the pair is right, try substituting "you are"
for the word in question. If it works, then you want "you're" and not
"your," and if it doesn't work, use "your":

    3) *_Your_ going to have to try harder than that.
    3') _You're_ going to have to try harder than that.
   
Which is right?   

    3'') _You are_ going to have to try harder than that.
   
3'') is correct, so 3') is the appropriate choice. On the other hand:

    4) _Your_ guildhead was just online--you just missed him.
    4') *_You're_ guildhead was just online--you just missed him.
   
4) is right and 4') isn't because

    4'') *_You are_ guildhead was just online--you just missed him.
   
doesn't make any sense.
 

The other big one is "they're," "their," and "there." "They're" always
means "they are," so you can use the same kind of test as above--if the
substitution "they are" makes sense, use "they're." "Their" is only a
possessive; it will go immediately in front of a noun, and it means the
noun belongs to them (whoever they are). "There" is just a place. It's
probably your default if you don't mean "they are" and if you don't
mean "it belongs to them."

So, some quick examples:

    5) _They're_ going to the zoo.
    5') *_Their_ going to the zoo.
    5'') *_There_ going to the zoo.
   
Since "they are" can be substituted readily--"they are going to the
zoo"--5) is correct.

    6) *_They're_ mother was annoyed.
    6') _Their_ mother was annoyed.
    6'') *_There_ mother was annoyed.

 
 
Since "they are" doesn't make sense as a substitution, and since what
you mean is "the mother that belongs to them," 6') is right.

Finally:

    7) *I want to go _they're_.
    7') *I want to go _their_.
    7'') I want to go _there_.
   
"They are" doesn't make sense in place of the underlined words, and we're
not talking about anything that belongs to anyone, rather a place.
Therefore, 7'') is correct. (People usually get this one right; it's
"they're" and "their" that really trip them up.)

Got grammar questions? Mudmail Narya.
>
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> > read page 12
You read page 12 in your newspaper.

---------------------- The NannyMUD Times --------------------- page 12   --
Your Nanny horoscope for August and September, 2001:

-----------------------------------------------------------
Sign: Executioner                           Month: Darkness
Constellation: Armageddon, the Game-Crasher
Allied sign: Dragon                Opposed sign: Apprentice

The Executioner has a pretty easy ride of things throughout
the next few Nanny months, as these are his best months
coming up. Your friends also prosper during the next few
months and your enemies fall from favor, for we are moving
from the year of Creation to the year of the Daemon. Fortune
is strong for you during the month of Darkness and starts
to decline thereafter, so take your biggest risks then.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Sign: Judge                                    Month: Truth
Constellation: Padrone, the Wizard of Law and Balance
Allied sign: Gatekeeper             Opposed sign: Trickster

You've got a pretty indifferent time ahead of you, lawful
one, for you're moving from one unexceptional year to
 
another. Then again, it's not a particularly good year for
your enemies, either, so there's that. Still, the Year of
the Daemon is a year of chaos, not of orderliness, so
perhaps caution is the safest choice. You do have a good
month, though, in the Month of Truth, so make the most of
that.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Sign: Traveller                                 Month: Wind
Constellation: Leowon, the Master of Maps
Allied sign: Trickster             Opposed sign: Gatekeeper

Keep on your toes, Traveller, as the times aren't great for
you. These are interesting times, but not necessarily
restful ones. Still, the Year of the Daemon promises change
and upheaval, and that might give you some of the
adventure you're always in search of. Remember, your best

month is the Month of Wind, so early next year you should
take advantage of whatever life brings.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Sign: Witch                                    Month: Water
 
Constellation: Angmar, the Elder Wizard
Allied sign: Mountain             Opposed sign: Lamplighter

Things are in flux for you, Witch; like your ally, the
Mountain, you seek growth, so this year should have been
pretty good for you. Still, you'll hit a bad patch around
the Month of Fire, and things won't hit their peak until
next Month of Water. However, you should weather the coming
year better than most signs, for while the Year of the
Daemon may not be your favorite year, you can still take
such ups and downs better than most.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Sign: Scholar                                 Month: Spirit
Constellation: Profezzorn Naranek
Allied sign: Lamplighter             Opposed sign: Mountain 

This earthy Year of Creation probably hasn't been to your
tastes, lofty-minded Scholar. Things won't really get a lot
better next year, either, so best to buckle down with your
books and study away the chaotic coming year. Look for a
change in fortune in the early part of next year, however,
 
for while things may look grim in the Month of Water,
they'll get much better in your own Month of Spirit.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Sign: Smith                                Month: Fertility
Constellation: Anvil, the Retired Arch-Wizard
Allied sign: Apprentice                Opposed sign: Dragon 

Well, all good things come to an end, Smith, and this year
has been pretty good for you thus far. However, you're at
your most favorable time right now, so take advantage of
these warm summer months, full of creative energy, before
the dark winter comes. Next year will be hard for you, too,
so be building for the future.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Sign: Apprentice                               Month: Plant
Constellation: Milamber, the Retired Arch-Wizard
Allied sign: Smith                Opposed sign: Executioner 

Things will be pretty easy for you at the beginning of this
period, as your friend the Smith enjoys a good year and you
 
travel through the fertile, productive months of Plant and
Earth. Alas, next year isn't so good for you, especially
not the first few months. Be prepared to lie low for a bit
before better times return.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Sign: Mountain                                 Month: Earth
Constellation: Oros, the Idle Wizard
Allied sign: Witch                    Opposed sign: Scholar 

The Year of Creation is a good one for you, and the Month
of Earth is your best time. However, the next few months
after that will be bumpy, sorry to say, full of ups and

downs. Look for downturns in the months of Fire and of
Spirit, and be prepared for things in general to go less
your way than they had of late.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Sign: Storyteller                            Month: Harmony
Constellation: Mats, the Creator
Allied sign: none                        Opposed sign: none
 

So, Storyteller, what stories will you tell? We're moving
from a year of beginnings to a year of upheaval. Perhaps
your own Month of Harmony in this Year of Creation is the
best time for you to think about starting a new cycle of
songs. What will the dark and wild Year of the Daemon
bring to you? And will you be prepared to sing of it?

-----------------------------------------------------------
Sign: Lamplighter                               Month: Fire
Constellation: Lars, the Implementor
Allied sign: Scholar                    Opposed sign: Witch 

So, Lamplighter, you have a choice: you can either find
the coming dark year to be a punishment or an opportunity.
We're leaving your happiest year, the Year of Creation, for
the Year of the Daemon. Will you view the darkness of that
year as your enemy, or as the ground upon which you may
cast new light? Perhaps, too, the chaotic Year of the
Daemon will give you the opportunity for the continual
creation you so enjoy. In the meantime, make the most of
the Month of Fire this year, as it's the best of all
 
possible times for you.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Sign: Trickster                             Month: Illusion
Constellation:  Someone, the Coward
Allied sign: Traveller                  Opposed sign: Judge 

This has been an indifferent year for you, a rather boring
year of foundation and growth. But cheer up, next year, the
Year of the Daemon, will be much more interesting. Like
the Dragon, you revel in that particular kind of chaos, so
you'll have lots of opportunities for jokes and games. Lie
low until then, however, and don't get carried away just

because the Month of Illusion is a good one for you--it's
soon followed by the Month of Law, a disastrous one for
you. Keep a strong heart, though, because things will soon
be more interesting.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Sign: Gatekeeper                                 Month: Law
Constellation: Qqqq, the God of Banishment
 
Allied sign: Judge                  Opposed sign: Traveller 

Well, in theory you don't have much to lose or gain from
the changing of the year from the Year of Creation to the
Year of the Daemon, as both are years of change. However,
the Year of the Daemon is a year of a darker, less orderly
year of change, so you may find yourself out of sorts.
Still, you have a high point of two in the months of Law
and Truth, so console your orderly mind by thinking about
the bright side of things.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Sign: Dragon                                  Month: Demons
Constellation: Lpd, the Line Printer Daemon
Allied sign: Executioner                Opposed sign: Smith 

Good news, Dragon, we'll soon be in your best year, and you
finish off one of your enemies' best years, the year of
Creation, with your best month, the Month of Darkness. Your
 
friends are also sitting pretty as well, so take the
initiative, finish off a lackluster year with as much
 
spirit as you have, and settle down for the nice new year.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Polar]

---------------------- The NannyMUD Times --------------------- page 13   --
The Quiz! The first to get it all right will get a
3000 coins reward! All masters will be honoured in the next
issue of the times.
--==@@==----==@@==----==@@==----==@@==----==@@==----==@@==----==@@==--

There are many keys in Vincent's area, which one opens the shed door?

A) The thin key
B) The short key
C) The brass key

What monster is carrying 'The Corrupter of Souls'?

A) Grimtooth
B) Zqnoidy'sdovw'sdorie
C) The beast of Nurgle

What are the names of the dwarves guarding Ered Luin?

A) Bruenor and Thorin
C) Thror and Borin
D) Dalin and Kali
 

In what area can you get turned into a gnome?

A) Chino
B) Lorenzo
C) Brom

What's the most exclusive dish of the Stonecutter's inn?

A) Meat stew with a 'Molten Rock'
B) Fried fish with a 'Stonecutter's Brew'
C) Roasted pig with a 'Flaming soda'

In what area can you gain a full set of armour made out of worms?

A) Giltas
B) Mirage
C) Hans

In the Mentarin University, what does Headmaster Matthew teach?

A) Chemistry
 
B) Physics
C) Mathemathics

In the city of Gnomeholm, what's the name of the king?

A) Gnevil
B) Gneedle
C) Gnick

What four towers guard the corners of the Castle of Faery?

A) Dragons, Sun, Moon, Faery
B) Faery, Sun, Dragons, Mortality
C) Mortality, Faery, Dragons, Poets

Which fabulous creature can be found in Amaryllis' area?

A) An ent
B) A bullephant
C) A sphinx

--==@@==----==@@==----==@@==----==@@==----==@@==----==@@==----==@@==--
 
NPC Hunt! The first to give the directions to and name of this npc
will get a reward of 2000 coins.
--==@@==----==@@==----==@@==----==@@==----==@@==----==@@==----==@@==--
X is one of the last famous levitating monks. He looks very peaceful,
but yet able to enjoy a good fight. X has a white hood which makes
it, in some strange way, impossible to see his face, but you can see his eyes
looking right into your soul.
        X is carrying:
A white hood (worn).

--==@@==----==@@==----==@@==----==@@==----==@@==----==@@==----==@@==--
Mail your answers (Don't use tell!) to Slakktor.

The answers and winners will be published in the next issue. The
answers to the last quiz is unfortunately not available at this time,
hopefull they'll also be published in the next issue.




---------------------- The NannyMUD Times --------------------- page 14   --
Lectral tells you: Hi! I'm doing a poll for the NannyMUD Times: How do you
        think summers should be spent?
--==@@==++==----==@@==++==----==@@==++==----==@@==++==----==@@==++==--
Perdita tells you: ?
Kefka replies to you: YOU STOLE MY JOB!!!!
Roc tells you: On the mUd
Angreal tells you: a sek...
Damarella tells you: seaside
Roc tells you: *grin*
Eris replies to you: mudding ofc.
Knightwatch tells you: PLAYING NANNYMUD! Sorry bout caps. But its
             the truth
Deimos tells you: Being as lazy as possible and getting away with it.
Turimbar tells you: As quickly as possible, bring on the fall!
Mortis tells you: drunken haze!
Belegur replies to you: Orgies!!!
Swayn tells you: outsid with the sun in your eyes
Jokey tells you: hmm, How summer should be spent....I guess it should be spent
      having a good time, with friends......
Live tells you: What I think alot of sun and nice girls =) not
            spending time infront of the computer =)
Jadow tells you: sun-tan during days and Nanny during the nights =)
 
Palmira tells you: hiding into a deep cave
Riven replies to you: Mudding?
Snapple tells you: just like the winters, springs and automns:
           MUDDING!
Ladydeathe replies to you: naked
Prime tells you: Top down, half naked, totally soaking wet, beer
             drinking, no sleeping, late night trips!
Narya tells you: Preferably, by going outside a lot to places where you can
      drink beer and enjoy nice breezes and sunshine.
Palmira tells you: with no colours at all...
Narya tells you: And going camping and having sex.
Tasoth tells you: Spend my summer? I rather invest it. =P
Oomph tells you: Inside, protected from the sun.
Roc tells you: actaully, I think summer is best with friends,
             fires and generally relaxing with the ppl you love most
Angreal tells you: well... I think they should be spent in front of

           the Cpu playing NannyMUD with a LARGE stach of Coke beside you.
Hayt tells you: barbeques, beer and girls
Thaadd tells you: NOT taking Calc 5 days a week (speaking from experience).
       Pursuing one's hobbies, and cute people of the perfered gender.
Maggi tells you: riding horse on the beach
Lectraljr tells you: Kicking Slakktor's ass!

Syrinx tells you: hhmmm by the seaside
Twirl tells you: Sleeping on a beach
Bixby tells you: Far, far from home
Slakktor tells you: It should be spent away from the mud, with a beer in the
         sun.
Angreal tells you: did I spell everything right?
Slakktor tells you: That applies to winter too, but without the sun
Charisma tells you: can i still reply to your poll?
Thaadd tells you: When does the paper come out? Need any writers? I'm in the
       very short period of free time from Uni right now.
Kefka tells you: go to hell you job thief
Axhind replies to you: Rest and be lazy.

[Polar]

---------------------- The NannyMUD Times --------------------- page 15   --
So, this was the Times. I hope you have enjoyed it. We're hoping
there should be a new issue out within two months, but we can't
guarantee that because we do have real lifes that always
interfere.

If you have good ideas for times articles, or have better stories
than the ones published, don't hesitate to mudmail me. There is
only so much work a person has time to do, so contribute to the
Times for the good of all of us!

Big thanks to the rest of the Times staff, Narya and Lectral.

Also, many thanks to all the people who submitted material and
answered to questions, namely Mortis, Dai, Belegur, Banshee,
Malfeithor, Parity, Syrinx, Elrohir, Giltas, Wolfenhex and
Blackfire, and of course everyone who replied to the player
question.

/Slakktor

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But there are less pages than that!
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